


The Ring

by BC2



Series: Ruby and Nora (Redux) [16]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Action, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-13
Packaged: 2019-09-17 00:52:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16964655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BC2/pseuds/BC2
Summary: Little Miss takes her shot at taking down Ruby.





	1. Captured

Ruby and Nora walked out of the hospital. After a few days of keeping off her leg and focusing her aura, Nora could walk normally again.

”Okay, I’m rested, healed, and ready to get the bastards that destroyed our home!” Nora jumped with excitement.

”Uh...Nora, I hate to sore your mood, especially since all we’ve been through so much to get here...” Ruby began.

”But...” Nora knew she would say that.

”But how do we _find_ our enemies after we make it to Mistral?” Ruby asked, looking around the large city. “It’s not exactly a small place.”

”Simple! We...” Nora’s entire flow seemed to dropped when she realized she had absolutely no plan beyond getting to Mistral. “Oh...crap...”

”Nore, please tell you thought this far ahead,” Ruby begged.

”I...I think we both kind of did this at the spur of the moment,” Nora said, awkwardly.

”Didn’t you have _months_ to think of a plan?” Ruby asked.

”Yeah...well...I spent a lot of my nights not even sleeping, so...” Nora dug the heel of her boot into the dirt.

Ruby facepalmed. “Oh...for the love of...this mission keeps getting more and more short-sighted the further we get into it.”

”No worries!” Nora snapped her fingers. “We can talk to...uh...Headmatser Lionheart!”

”How could be possible help us?” Ruby asked.

”Back at the bar, when he rather haphazardly revealed to me about how much he knew, he mentioned Leo being in on it,” Nora explained. “He’s the first step to finding the people that destroyed Vale!”

”Well, I guess that’s a start,” Ruby said, shifting uncomfortably.

”Ruby, something wrong?” Nora asked, concerned. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t think this through, this whole ‘mission’ was big emotional-“

”It’s not that...it’s just...you remember I told Mom, Yang, and Blake where we were going in my note,” Ruby explained.

”Oh, right...knowing your family, they most definitely are coming here,” Nora said. “If they aren’t here already.”

”I hope they understand, and I hope they want to help,” Ruby said to herself more than to Nora.

Nora placed a comforting hand on Ruby’s shoulder. “They will, I’m sure of it.”

Ruby smiled. “Thanks Nora.”

”Hey, I dragged out here, the least I can do is keep you confident,” Nora chuckled. “Come on, let’s go chat with the lion.” Nora held out her hand.

Ruby looked at it for a few seconds, then took it, and the two began the long walk towards Haven Academy. Unknown by the both of them, however, they were being watched.

”Aww, isn’t that just the sweetest thing?” Malachite set down her binoculars, then took out her scroll. “Tracy, dear, I do hope you caught their conversation.”

”I did,” Tracy answered. “They’re heading towards Haven.”

”From the hospital? On foot?” Malachite was genuinely shocked. “This is almost too easy, when they stop at a place to rest we’ll make our move. Get the girls ready.”

”Yes, ma’am.”

* * *

Ruby let out a rather loud yawn as she and Nora continued their walk.

”Tired?” Nora asked.

”A little,” Ruby said. “It’s been a long couple of days.”

Nora looked ahead and saw a hotel a few blocks away. “You still got lien on you, right?”

”Yep!” Ruby reached into her pocket and pulled out her wallet. “You?”

”Yes,” Nora said. “Hopefully it’s enough for a room.”

“For one night? I’m sure of it!” Ruby ran ahead of Nora, dragging her along. “Come on, I’m tired!”

As Ruby dragged Nora towards the hotel, which Nora could see was call “The Golden Harp”, Nora felt her heart start to beat a little faster. She passed it off as all the running she and Ruby were doing.

* * *

Nora was woken up in the late hours of the night by noises. She couldn’t make out what they were in her grogginess. Opening her eyes and lifting her head off of her pillow, Nora saw it was well into midnight.

”What is that?” Nora threw off her corvers and walked over to the hotel room door. Putting her air to it, the sounds become more clear...and horrifying.

Gunshots. Nora was hearing gunshots and screaming. Shocked, she stepped away from the door, frozen in fear, and looked at Ruby. She was still fast asleep, completely oblivious to the danger.

”Ruby! Ruby wake up!” Nora shook her.

”Um...five more minutes mom...” Ruby whined in her sleep.

”Ruby!” Nora shouted, causing Ruby to jump awake.

”Ow...what is...” Ruby trailed off when she heard the gunshots and screamingly, which caused Nora to realize it was getting closer. “Oh sweet mother of the Gods...”

”Get you’re sword,” Nora ordered. “We need-“

Before Nora could finish her order, a female lizard faunus kicked in the door to their hotel. A sadistic grin, she aimed her gun at the shocked Ruby.

”Ruby!” Nora pushed Ruby out of the way, taking a tranquilizer in the neck for her troubles.

”Nora!” Ruby cried before getting the tranquilizer of her own. “Oh...no...not again...” Ruby fell to the ground as Malachite entered the room.

”Yep, that’s definitely them.” Malachite looked at the pictures of Ruby and Nora Salem had given. “Don’t know why she said not to underestimate them, this was almost too easy.”

”Should we kill them?” The lizard faunus asked.

”No, not yet,” Malachite said, looking down to Ruby’s form. As the last moments of consciousness left Ruby, she heard Malachite speak, “we’re going to have a little fun with them first.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FUN FACT: Tracy and Kaida (Lizard faunus) are the bouncers from before.


	2. Spiders

From an early age, the little girl who would grow up to become Little Miss Malachite was deathly afraid of spiders. Their legs, their bit, their venom...everything from how they looked to how they acted terrified her.

”Mommy?” She asked her mother, who was cleaning the dishes. “How did you get over your fears?”

”Well,” her mother began, “I would try to confront it in small doses. Start off small then get more and more bold.”

”Oh...okay! Thanks mom!” The little girl ran into her bedroom, and turned on her scroll. “Small doeses,” She repeated her mother’s words, and searched up images of spiders on the internet.

She cringed when she saw them, but realized that they were just images, and couldn’t hurt her. She began looking up pictures of bigger and nastier spiders, and soon wasn’t even close to cringing.

”Well, that was little easy,” she said. “Maybe I should try and be bold.”

* * *

She arrived at the abandoned house that was just outside her village. “No better place to find spiders!” She entered the house through the creaky front door.

It was a mess, to put it lightly. Anything that was still standing was covered in dust and cobwebs, while everything else in pieces.

”Here spiders!” She called, turning on her scroll to use its light. “Come out!” She took her first step into the house.

Though it was morning outside, the dirty window barley let any light inside, giving it the appearance of night.

The she heard it, crawling. “Oh! Spiders!” She followed the noise to the rickety stair case of the basement, and looked down into the pitch black darkness below. “Welp....” She gulped, “here goes nothing.”

Her first step proved to be her biggest mistake. The second her shoe made contact, her entire body shattered the weak wood like glass, causing her entire body to through the stair case and down to the cold, hard ground of the basement.

”Ow!” She cried.

”Are you okay?” A voice asked.

She froze. “Who...who is there?”

”Are you alright?” It asked again.

”Yeah...yeah I think so...” she stood up, and dusted herself off. “Who are you?”

”I live in this old house after the people who lived here went away many years ago,” the voice spoke, softly.

”How have you been living here for so long?” The girl asked.

“The answer is simple.” The giant spider Grimm walked out from the shadows. “Us grimm don’t need to do anything to survive.”

The girl looked at the monster before her, and screamed as loud as she could.

”Ow!” The creature huddled into itself. “Not so loud! I’m very sensitive to sound!”

”Oh...uh...sorry?” The girl didn’t know how to go about this revelation.

”It’s okay!” The spider’s eyes curved up in happiness. “I’m just glad I got a new friend!”

”Friend...?” The girl cocked an eyebrow.

”Yep!” The spider shrinked back. “Unless...you don’t want to be my friend...that’s fine...”

”Wait! I’ll be your friend!” The girl cried. “I’ll be your best friend!”

”Really?!” The spider jumped in happiness. “Hooray! You have no idea how lonely it was down here!”

”Why are you here, anyhow?” The girl asked.

”Oh...my mother isn’t a very nice lady, she gave two my brothers and I the ability to think, and feel, but when I didn’t want to kill humanity, she threatened to kill me...” The spider explained. “I managed to get away, and I found this nice place to stay!”

”Oh...that’s pretty sad,” The girl said. “Say, can you do something for me?”

”Sure!”

”You see, I have a fear of spiders.”

”Oh no! Did I scare you?” Spider asked, concerned. “I’m sorry.”

”Yeah, but you seem like a decent fellow, which is why I want your help.”

”What can I do for my new friend?” Spider asked.

”Kill everyone in town.”

The room became deathly quiet. The spider was shocked by this girl’s request.

”P-pardon?!” Spider asked.

”I need to get over my fear,” The girl spoke, coldly. “This is the best way to do it. Watching everyone around me die will free me not only from my fear, but of my conscience, love, and empathy...all things that hold people back in this world.”

”Why...would I do that?” Spider asked.

”Because if you don’t...you’ll die,” the little girl threatened. “I’ll go out there and tell the whole village about you...and they’ll kill you.”

”What if I kill you!” Spider threatened.

”You wouldn’t want to kill your only friend...would you?” The girl pouted. “I know how lonely you are, and you’ll just go right back to isolation once I’m gone.”

Spider took a few steps back, then sighed. “You’re right.”

The girl smiled. “Of course I am.” It vanished, and was replaced with a cold scowl. “Now go up there before I tell everyone about you!”

The spider took the girl on his back, and crawled up the shatter basement staircase. When they got outside, the girl pointed to her village, and spider did what he was told to do.

The girl smiled as the screams picked up.

She smiled when the spider would bring her people and suck the fluids out of them, leaving them dried husks.

She smiled when one of those people were her own mother, who has just helped her out only hours ago.

* * *

With her new “friend” the little girl grew up to be one of the most powerful figures  in the criminal underworld. Her rivals would go “missing” every time they visited her brothel.

One day, Salem arrived, she had heard rumors about the girl’s (now Little Miss Malachite) method of dealing with her enemies, and wanted to be sure herself.

”Mother?!” Spider cried as Malachite showed off.

Malachite had grown rather unappreciative of her friend, leaving him chained in the basement, trapped in the same isolation he had killed to get out of.

”Spider!” Salem exclaimed. “What a shock.”

”He’s been helping me kill my way to the top one rival at a time.” Malachite motioned to the dried out husks on the floor, some having withered away into dust.

“You know what?” Salem looked down to Malachite. “I like you, kid. How about we held each other out.”

”How are we going to do that?” Malachite asked.

”You supply my plans with all the weapons and the like, and I’ll be sure spider here becomes more obedient,” Salem offered.

”What do you mean more obedient?!” Spider asked, terrified. “Mother?!”

Malachite looked at her “friend”, a grin grew across her face. “Alright, you got yourself a deal!”

Malachite brought Salem guns, garrotes, and the very special black queen virus. In turn, Salem lobotomized Spider turning him into the same mindless Grimm as his fellow brothers.

* * *

Ruby and Nora were tossed into a ring. Malachite and her all women army surrounded the areana. Her women cheered and watched eagerly, like it was some kind of sporting event.

”Alright ladies!” Malachite screamed over the microphone, ecstatic. “You ready to have some fun?!”

The audience cheered.

”Great!” Malachite turned to Tracy. “Let him out.”

Tracy only nodded.

Down in the arena Ruby and Nora came to.

”Huh? Where are we?!” Ruby cried.

”I don’t know,” Nora got to her feet, and stood in front of Ruby, “but get ready!”

Ruby noticed why Nora was stood up like she did, at the end of the arena was door, and out of that door crawled a giant, ravenous spider Grimm.

 


	3. Fight

“Toss them their weapons!” Malachite ordered. “Don’t want to make this less fun by not letting them put up a fight!”

Ruby and Nora turned to the edge of the ring when they heard the sound of their weapons falling to the ground. Nodding to each other, Ruby took Nora’s hand and  activated her speed semblance, just barely dodging the sharpe leg of the spider. The creature roared in anger at its miss.

”Okay,” Ruby kicked Penny’s sword up to her hand, spinning it around in her hand to get a good grip on it, “Nora, I got the speed semblance, so I’ll distract him! When his legs hit the ground, you break ‘em! Got it?”

”Got it!” Nora smirked. “I **_love_** breaking legs!”

Ruby couldn’t help but chuckle at this. “I know, Nora. I know.”

”Hey, a little less laughing and a little more fighting!” Malachite shouted down to the two. “I know most want to fight off death, but you shouldn’t try to avoid the inevitable!”

”Oh, we’re not avoiding the inevitable!” Ruby shouted back. “Isn’t that right, Nora?”

”Oh yeah, let’s mess him up!” Nora turned Magnhild into its hammer form.

Ruby charged in front of The Spider. “Hey ugly!” She gave him a raspberry.

The creature roared, and brought its left front leg down on Ruby. Thankfully, she dodged seconds before it hit her. Acting fast, Nora blasted Magnhild to give herself a boost, then brought the hammer down on the leg. The spider roared in pain as a “SNAP!” rang through the arena, causing all of Malachite’s women to fall silent.

”Uh...ma’am?” Tracy said, unsurely.

”Shut it, Tracy!” Malachite spat.

Down in the ring, The Spider hadn’t learned it’s lesson. It brought its right leg down on Ruby when she mocked him, and Nora repeated the process. The loss of its front leg caused The Spider’s head to plummet to the ground, shaking the Earth when it hit.

”No!” Malachite shouted in rage.

”Ruby, I’ll let you do the honors.” Nora stepped back to let Ruby finish The Spider.

”Nora, let’s do it together,” Ruby said.

”R-Really?” Nora blushed. “Well...if you say so...”

Ruby raised Penny’s sword over her head, and stabbed the center of The Spider’s head with it. The creature roared out in pain as it struggled to get to its feet, but the injuries to it front legs made it impossible.

”Nora, you know to use a stake and a hammer?” Ruby asked as she stepped out of the way.

”Yep!” Nora smirked. She raised Magnhild, and brought it down on Penny’s sword, causing it to fly through The Spider’s head, killing it.

”No!” Malachite shouted at the loss of her  meal ticket.

”Ma’am...” Kaida was shocked.

”Release the other grimm!” Malachite shouted in rage.

”But we can’t, they can’t be-“ Tracy was cut off by Malachite grabbing her by the throat and strangling her.

”Don’t question me!” Malachite shouted in her face. “Just get it done! Now!” She threw Tracy to the floor, and the large woman scurried off to follow that order.

Down in the ring, The Spider’s body vanished, allowing Ruby to pick up Penny’s sword. “Good job, Penny.” Ruby looked at her reflection in the blade. “Even now, you can still kill grimm like nobody’s business.”

Nora felt a pit in her stomach. _Why do I feel so guilty?_

Her thoughts were cut off by the sound of all of the gates that surrounded the arena opening, Grimm off all shapes and sizes came crawling out.

”Uh oh!” Ruby stood back to back with Nora as the Grimm surrounded them.

A beowolf looked at the two girls, but didn’t attack them. Instead, it and other Grimm looked out to the women in the audience.

”What are they doing?” Nora asked.

”Grimm pick out targets who express more negative emotions than others,” Ruby explained. “You and I are both calm,” Ruby looked out to the women in the audience, who looked terrified, “but they aren’t.”

The beowolf roared, causing the whole pack of grimm to attack the audience. A Beringel jumped into the stands, and began tearing apart the sadistic women with its bare hands. The other Grimm climed over the walls to get to them.

”No...no!” Malachite cried. Her entire operation was falling to pieces in front of her.

”I tried to tell you!” Tracy shouted. “The Grimm can’t be controlled if we let them all out!”

”Well, I guess this is your fault then!” Malachite grabbed her.

”Wait...wha-“ Tracy was tossed over the walls and down in front of a group of baby deathstalkers. “Huh?” She looked up to see the creatures charging.

Malachite watched as the baby deathstalkers tore her apart with their front claws. “Kaida, you’re with me!”

”But...what about the others?”

”Malachite turned to her, face emotionless. “What about them? Let’s go!”

”I...yes ma’am!” Kaida reluctantly followed Malachite out of the areana.

Back in the ring, Ruby and Nora weren’t out of the water yet. Some of the smaller Grimm still went after them. Luckily, it was just the smaller Grimm, which they had no problem cutting down.

”Ruby!” Nora pointed towards the exit, having seen Miss Malachite and Kaida attempting to escape.

”Hey Nora, you remember that move we did that you really liked?” Ruby asked. “What did you call it?”

”Sugar rush?” Nora asked, excitedly.

Ruby smiled. “Okay, get ready!” She ran towards the back of the ring.

Nora planted her feet on the ground. “Ready!”

Ruby charged with her speed semblance, picking up Nora and sending the two pink and red blurs heading straight towards Malachite and Kaida.

Malachite saw the blurs coming, and grabbed Kaida.

”Ma’am!” Was the last thing Kaida shouted.

Nora jumped out of the two blurs, raising Magnhild into the air. Malachite shoved Kaida in front of her just as Nora brought it down, causing her loyal henchwomen to take the brunt of the attack. A shock wave knocked Ruby and Malachite back.

When the dust cleared, Kaida was lying on the ground, her broken body unmoving.

”Did you get her?” Ruby asked.

”I got one of them, but where’s the big lady?” Nora asked.

”Isn’t that a little rude?” Malachite asked, sarcastically.

Ruby and Nora readied their weapons as Malachite got up.

”Who are you?!” Ruby demanded. “Why did you do this to us?!”

”Salem sent me,” Malachite answered.

”How do you know Salem?” Nora asked.

”We met up, she did something for me, I did something for her,” Malachite explained. “Standard practice in my line of work.”

”What did you for?” Ruby asked.

”Oh you know, weapons, information, the black queen virus.” Malachite smirked when she saw Nora’s shocked expression. “It was a big help during the fall of Beacon.”

”You helped her with that?!” Nora gritted her teeth.

”She promised to make me the most powerful crime lord in all Remnant!” Malachite boasted. “How could I pass that up?”

”You **_bitch!_** ” Nora charged her.

Malachite smiled, and pulled a knife that was coated in a green substance from behind her back. The second Nora was in reach, Malachite stabbed her.

”Nora!” Ruby cried.

Nora widened her eyes in shock, she took a few steps back from Malachite, gripping her wound. Without a sound, she fell to the ground.

”What did you do?!” Ruby shouted in rage.

”Ensured my escape.” Malachite ripped off her necklace, which was a plastic vile filled with a blue liquid. “That blade was covered in venom that kills in minutes, and this,” she held up the vile, “is the antidote. Always keep it on my person in case anyone uses it against me. All she needs to do is drink it.”

”Give it to me!” Ruby ordered.

”Sure.” With a smirk on her face, Malachite threw the vile as hard as she could into the forest next to her warehouse. “Go get it!” She turned and ran off.

”Hey!” Ruby looked down at Nora, who was struggling from the venom, then looked to Malachite, who was getting further and further away.

”R-ruby...” Nora spoke between breaths. “It’s okay...get her...”

Ruby shook her head. “I’m sorry, Nora...I can’t let you die!” She ran into the forest and began frantically searching for the vile. “Come on, come on!” She found it in a bush. “Yes!” Ruby rushed out just as Nora was beginning to fade. “Nora, stay with me! I got it!” As soon as Nora opened her mouth, Ruby held her head still and poured the vile in.

Nora let out a sigh of relief, then passed out.

”Nora?!” Ruby checked her pulse, and let out a relief filled sigh of her own. She looked out, and saw that Little Miss Malachite was gone. “Damn...” Ruby sat infront of the crumbling warehouse as the Mistral Police came onto the scene, having been called in due to the commotion.


	4. Shattered Plans

“The Mobster who is only known as Little Miss Malachite was marked MIA after killing all of the residents in The Golden Harp,” A Mistral news man explained. “Abducting two girls named Ruby Rose and Nora Valkyrie, the huntresses-in-training managed to survive the attempt on their life when a grimm outbreak happened where they were being held. When Police arrived in the warehouse just outside of the city’s limits, they discovered from her surviving employees that Malachite regularly held ‘executions’ there, and police found skeletons and other human remains in a dumpster located at the back of the ware-“

Salem didn’t let the newsman finish telling the story before she threw her remote at the television, shattering the screen.

”When I get my hands on the worthless fat cow...I’m going to pull out her still beating heart!” Salem picked up her chair and threw it across the room, eventually began destroying everything in the house she had rented out. She picked up what was remained of the television and threw it out the window, flipped the table the television was on, and pulled out the drawers of said table before tossing each out a separate window to break even more. When she ran out of furniture, she just started punching holes in the walls.

Her scroll going off halted her rage. Picking it up, she saw it was Mercury. “What is it, Mercury?” Salem rubbed her temple. “I’m not in the mood. Not-so-Little Little Miss Malachite just failed, and now I have someone else on my hitlist. I swear, this plan can not fall to pieces more than it already has.”

”I...” Mercury was clearly terrified. “You need me, right?”

”Yes?” Salem answered, unsurely.

”So...if I messed up, you wouldn’t immediately kill me?” Mercury asked.

”Mercury, get to the point,” Salem snapped.

”You may want to get here,” Mercury said. “I’m at the abandoned factory...”

”Wait, that’s where we’re keeping...” Salem’s eyes widened. “Mercury, What did you do?”

* * *

Salem looked at the two bodies before her. Leonardo’s wife and son were slumped in their chairs, unmoving.

”What happened?” Salem’s voice was hollow.

”I was getting bored watching over them...so I thought I’d have a little fun,” Mercury explained. “I started cutting the Mrs. Lionheart up...I thought...I thought she could take it...when she croaked the kid started crying...I panicked! I was worried other people were going to hear!”

”Do you have **_any_** idea what you just cost us?!” Salem whirled around, and picked up Mercury by his throat. “If Lionheart realizes their dead...he’s...oh Gods...we’re going to lose our most important asset!”

”I’m...sorry!” Mercury gasped. “Please, don’t kill me!”

”Oh, don’t you worry Mercury, I’m not going to kill you...” Salem dropped him. “If...our plans at Haven goes as planned.”

”Of...of course!” Mercury got to his feet, gripping his neck.

Salem let out a frustrated groan. “I’ll need to hold on destroying Mistral, for the meantime, I just need to focus on getting that relic, and for that, I need the Spring Maiden.”

“How do we get her?” Mercury asked.

”That’s the tricky part, Leonardo lost her well before he even ‘joined’ our ranks...” Salem scratched her chin. “With that Ruby girl closing in, I’ll need to apply more pressure in his search...” Salem glared down at Mercury. “...too bad we lost the best way to do that.”

Mercury shrinked back. “I’ll make it up to you!”

”For your sake,” Salem said. “In the meantime, bury the bodies. If you don’t want to be one of them, I suggest you do that quickly.”

”I’ll get right on it!” Mercury went to move their bodies as Salem went towards the window. With a sigh, she pulled out her scroll, and contacted Lionheart.

”Y-yes, Salem?” Leonardo meekly answered.

”It’s your lucky day, Lionheart,” Salem did her best to sound confident. “I’ve decided not to destroy all of Mistral...yet.”

She heard Leonardo sigh in relief on the other end. “Thank the Gods.”

”That said, if you don’t want you wife and son to suffer, I highly suggest you get better at your Spring Maiden search,” Salem threatened.

”Can I see them?” Leonardo asked.

”No!” Salem accidentally let desperation creep into her voice.

”You always let me see them,” Leonardo said. “Even if it’s to rub it in.”

”Well, I’m not going to!”

”Why not?!”

”Leonardo, do you want me to kill them?!” Salem masked her fear with anger. “I’ll make sure Mercury sends bits and pieces of them to you!”

”Okay, okay!” Leonardo cried. “I’ll get to working on it as soon as I can!”

”That’s a good little lion,” Salem mocked, barley hiding the relief in her voice. “Now get to it.”

”Of course, ma’am,” Leonardo’s voice was uncharacteristically cold before _**he**_ hung up.

Salem looked at her scroll in shock. “Did that piece of shit just hang up on **ME?!** ”


End file.
